s the
sun set on the
evening of May 15, 1863 the campaign for Vicksburg was about to enter
its most decisive phase, for both the
Union and
Confederate forces. In the preceding weeks, the Union army had
achieved almost superhuman feats. In late April, Major General
Ulysses S. Grant had shifted his entire army across the Mississippi
River below Vicksburg. Once ashore at Bruinsburg, Grant fanned out
across the fertile Mississippi landscape waiting for the Confederate
ambush.The first blow came inland at Port Gibson on April 29, where he encountered an undersized
Confederate force headed by General John S. Bowen. During the battle,
rough terrain and tenacious defense allowed the Confederates to hold
on throughout the day, but Bowen had to pull back. The retrograde
movement left Port Gibson in Union hands and the river defenses nearby
at Grand Gulf untenable.Afterwards, Grant's campaign continued
unabated through the Mississippi interior toward Raymond and
ultimately the state capital at Jackson. While still pushing to the
northeast, Grant constantly feinted toward the Big Black River, the
only natural barrier between his army and Vicksburg, in an attempt to
keep the Confederates guessing as to his next move. In the meantime,
Grant divided his
army, sending one force under General James B.
McPherson on to Raymond and the other underGeneral
John A. McClernand to keep a watch on any Confederate movement from
Vicksburg. On May 12, McPherson's corps attacked a skeleton
Confederate force led by General John Gregg along the banks of
Fourteen Mile Creek. Again, as at Port Gibson, outnumbered Southern
troops could not hold against a more sizable Federal army. Gregg was
forced to fall back to the safety of the makeshift earthworks around
Jackson.Meanwhile, Confederate Lt. General John C. Pemberton was utterly
confused as to what Grant's next move would be ­ and what his own
should be. Conflicting orders emanating from both President Davis and
newly arrived departmental commander Joseph E. Johnston kept Pemberton
stagnant. With Grant well into the Mississippi interior, Pemberton
eventually moved cautiously out of his Vicksburg defenses in a vain
attempt to attack the Federal supply line stretching from the
Mississippi River to Raymond, which Grant had already broken.While Pemberton was easing around to the west of the Union
activity, Grant pressed on to the state capital on two fronts, Sherman from the south and McPherson from the west. In a downpour on May
14,
the Federals captured Jackson rather easily while Johnston and his
small Confederate force retreated northward toward Canton. While in
Jackson, Grant received word that Pemberton had moved out of Vicksburg
and was in the Edwards area. He immediately ordered McPherson's and
McClernand's corps westward to confront Pemberton's now mobile army,
leaving Sherman behind to reduce Jackson as a Confederate war machine.By the morning of May 15, Grant was pushing towards Edwards and
Pemberton was deciding which course to pursue. He eventually decided
to turn to the north and rendezvous with Johnston in Clinton, which
was actually by this time occupied by McPherson. He settled his
fatigued army along a four mile stretch of the Raymond, Ratliff, and
Jackson Roads east of Edwards. Coincidentally, Grant had moved
successfully to the Bolton area where he made camp for the night.
Confederate pickets along the Raymond Road could see the glow from
the campfires of the advanced Federal patrols as the armies slept just
miles apart. The next day would be the battle that would decide the
fate of Vicksburg.